Detroit City Wire

As supporters of "Promote the Vote" continues their campaign for Proposal 2, unsettling revelations indicate the ballot language may open the doors for criminals currently serving time being able to vote.

Casey Armitage, chairwoman of the 9th Congressional District Republican Committee, slammed the proposal in a recent statement, warning that it would scrap the current state law prohibiting criminals from voting.

"Everyone I talk to is stunned to find out the truth that Proposal 2 could make it easier for criminals to vote," Armitage said. "We do not want to see that happen in our state. Michiganders believe in following the law, not rewriting it so that criminals can determine who represents us at the state, local and federal levels."

Proposal 2 could give more than 33,000 prison inmates statewide the ability to vote.

The proposal could also permit more Michigan prisoners to vote than the total amount of voters who decided the 2016 presidential election.

According to Article 2, Section 2 of the Michigan Constitution, which concerns the election process with regard to those who are mentally incompetent or imprisoned, "the legislature may by law exclude persons from voting because of mental incompetence or commitment to a jail or penal institution."

Article 2, Section 4(a) of the Michigan Constitution, which concerns the place and manner of elections, currently states:  Every citizen of the United States who is an elector qualified to vote in Michigan shall have the following rights: (a) The right, once registered, to vote a secret ballot in all elections.

The Promote My Vote Petition would amend Article 2, Section 4(a) to state, in pertinent part: (1) Every citizen of the United States who is an elector qualified to vote in Michigan shall have the following rights: "(a) THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO VOTE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO the right, once registered, to vote a secret ballot in all elections. NO PERSON SHALL: (1) ENACT OR USE ANY LAW, RULE, REGULATION, QUALIFICATION, PREREQUISITE, STANDARD, PRACTICE, OR PROCEDURE; (2) ENGAGE IN ANY HARASSING, THREATENING, OR INTIMIDATING CONDUCT; OR (3) USE ANY MEANS WHATSOEVER, ANY OF WHICH HAS THE INTENT OR EFFECT OF DENYING, ABRIDGING, INTERFERING WITH, OR UNREASONABLY BURDENING THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO VOTE."

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Brian Zahra argues the language of Proposal 2 does not abrogate the current language in the Michigan Constitution. He states, "Article 2, Section 1 expressly acknowledges that who is qualified to be an elector in Michigan can be limited by other provisions of the Constitution, and Article 2, Section 2 expressly grants the Legislature permissive authority to enact statutes imposing such limitations as to mentally incompetent or incarcerated individuals."